Species At Risk Act  Homes can be searched under a search warrant which bears no resemblance to the usual murder, arson, rape or other serious criminal offence. A search warrant will be much easier to obtain. This is an outrage. When the eco-police start asking ranchers or farmers questions about the alleged offence the rancher or farmer must give them reasonable assistance.

The Middle East  In the immediate aftermath of September 11, a mosque was firebombed in Montreal. This week we learned of arson at a synagogue in Saskatoon. There is another family that must be heard in this crisis. That is the family of nations. In the international community today there is almost total consensus on urgent immediate steps that must be taken to move from death and destruction to dialogue and genuine human development.

Criminal Code  The recent incidents in the United States have highlighted the value of firefighters, how courageous they are, and the fact that they rush in when others rush out. We should do whatever we can do to help protect them. A lot of arson fires are just lit for greed, to collect insurance. Some are mischief. Some have some vindictiveness to them. No matter what causes a fire, fire has the potential to kill. We must keep that in mind when we are dealing with issues such as this one.

Criminal Code  I also take this opportunity to commend them for the good work they do for all of us. The motion simply asks for a deterrence by changing the criminal code. The idea was that arson fires have been on the rise. Booby traps have been set which injure or kill firefighters. There should be repercussions for that. They should not get away with it. Putting a deterrent in place is a common sense matter.

Criminal Code  The motion before us is important. In Canada, 13 000 fires are set each year. On average, 30% of these are arsons. This is not insignificant in the life of communities. This is a public interest issue and a community safety issue. However, if our colleague sees his motion die on the order paper, without saying that he worked in vain, the fact remains that the investigation could go much further.

Multiculturalism  Speaker, on Friday, November 30, a fundraising event was held in Hamilton to raise funds for a Hindu temple that was burned to the ground as the result of an arson attack in mid-September. The temple was the spiritual home of 800 local Hindu families. Approximately 1,200 people from the Hamilton area attended the fundraising event. This incredible outpouring of support showed the true community spirit of Hamiltonians.

Criminal Code  Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce into the House an act to amend the criminal code (firefighters), which would increase the severity of punishment for criminal acts, such as arson, that injure or kill a firefighter. Specifically, the bill would create two new criminal offences of aggravated assault and first degree murder when the victim is a firefighter acting in the line of duty.

Young Offenders Act  We have had 85 arsons in a three month period in a 12 square block area. Sometimes two or three places a night are going up in smoke. It is like the big American inner cities during the race riots of the 1960s.

Supply  The whole social problem faced in the core area of the city of Winnipeg recently manifested itself in arson. There is an epidemic of arson. It is like Watts in 1965. It is burn baby burn. People are expressing their frustration by torching the miserable neighbourhood they live in. They are levelling it.

Supply  It occurs in all the other provinces as well, but I did not have statistics for them this morning. We talk of murder and attempted murder, but there are also arson and bombings. Over the same period, there were 129 cases of arson and 82 bombings. This is from RCMP sources, which are no doubt reliable. In terms of drugs, what is the value of the illegal drug trade at the moment in Canada?

Terrorism  While we all have vowed not to let that happen, it is unfortunate that there are those in our own nation who have allowed it to happen through misguided attacks on their fellow Canadians. Reports of death threats, vandalism and arson against various ethnic and faith communities in the days following last Tuesday's attacks serves only to acknowledge that terrorism works. Any person who uses fear and terror as a weapon is a terrorist.

Terrorism  The effects of this malaise on the community are being felt not only by Muslims but by all Canadians, regardless of religion. The arson attack on the Hamilton Hindu Temple and the threats against schoolchildren are examples of this. I wish to speak out strongly against these acts of intolerance. Each of these acts, each rift between us, constitutes a victory for terrorism.

Criminal Code  With a tightened criminal code, as we have before us today, we might have avoided some of these attempted murders, 13 disappearances, 334 violent crimes, 129 cases of arson, 82 bombings and the murder of one young boy in 1995. Young Daniel Desrochers lost his life as a result of a bombing in the Hochelaga—Maisonneuve area. The bomb was placed by the Hell's Angels, who were involved with the Rock Machine, now known as the Bandidos, in a war to control the drug traffic.

Questions On The Order Paper  Three of the five incidents involved minor dependants of diplomats. The first incident involved an alleged misdemeanour of arson by a minor dependant. A waiver of immunity was requested but not granted in this case. Given the very minor nature of the offence, the government of the host country took no further action.

Criminal Code  The 1998 data released by the RCMP are troubling: 79 murders, 89 attempted murders, 129 cases of arson and 92 bombings, and that only includes offences committed during gang wars where bikers fight against each other. It does not include the people who were killed or forced to commit suicide, as is often now the case, because they could not pay back the money they owed.